:DAuthors Note: Howdy all! I'm back with another batch of inspiration! I have recently become obsessed with NCIS and was smacked in the face with inspiration for a story. I know, shame on me for starting a new story when I have so many unfinished ones, but I'll get back to them, I swear it. Alright, so at the beginning of a story, I do a quick AU in the start, but from here on out, the AU's will be at the end. I have used my character Jessie (many of you may remember her from my Law and Order:SVU fic I did a few years back) and she is much the same, but different for the use of this story. This is a Gibbs/OC (Jessie Harper) and I know most shippers hate reading OC fics, BUT I promise, most people fall in love with Jessie when they read about her. I've used her for several characters, including one of my original novels I have in the works. SO, she's mine, copy written and everything. Also, I will do a playlist. I'll post the songs at the beginning of each chapter. I recommend listening to the song as you read the chapter! Alright, enough from me, on with the story!!!!!

Song: Bring the Night On by Eve 6

Chapter 1 "Another Enigma"

Jessie Harper did her best to compose herself as the elevator climbed the length of the building. She tried focusing her nervous energy on the shifting lights winking to life with each passing floor, but this only made her dizzy. It also didn't help that elevators made her nervous to begin with, and it especially didn't help her to think that with every passing floor she was becoming closer and closer to her destination. What had Director Vance said to her again? Oh yes, he'd said "He's like a dog; he can smell fear. Just don't act afraid. Whatever you do, don't act afraid." That wont be a problem, she'd thought. And at the time, she didn't think it would be.

Jessie hadn't been bothered by Vance's warnings very much, at least until she was about to have to deal with it first hand. She was a very hard woman to intimidate. She'd thrown down with hardened criminals, fist fought grown men twice her size. She'd dealt with many different types of people, such as drug dealers, gangsters, killers, and rapists. She'd informed Vance of the fact that being so young and female made her a prime target for every asshole in her department, so she knew how to take care of herself. She hadn't made Detective so young for no reason, after all. Vance had laughed. "But you've never met a man like Gibbs."

When the metal doors swung open to reveal a bustling office full of noise and nicely dressed people, Jessie thought she just might vomit. "He won't like the way you dress, he won't like how old you are, and he especially won't like the fact that I placed you on his team," Vance had warned her. Jessie glanced down at her collared button-up shirt, tight blue jeans, and boots. It was good enough to wear to her old job; she'd figured it would be good enough for NCIS. She'd probably figured wrong. She wasn't back on the farm anymore. "You'll have to prove yourself, Harper." Jessie had smiled, feeling up to the challenge. Vance knew Jessie and her reputation. He knew she was up for the job. But now that the moment of truth was upon her, she wasn't feeling half as confident as she had that morning when Vance had debriefed her and she'd received her badge and weapon. But she squared her shoulders and stepped off of the elevator with as much dignity as possible; preparing herself to face whatever came next.

She evaluated her surroundings and upon her sweep of the room, her eyes fell on a young looking short haired man slouching down in a chair, his feet propped up on a desk that she could only hope to be his. When he looked up and caught her gaze, he popped up like he had a spring attached to his butt and strutted over to her. She almost laughed out loud as she mentally compared the guys walk with her old rooster, Rudy, her dad had kept as a pet back home.

"Hello there," said the Rudy look alike. "Can I assist you in any fashion? Help you find someone? Get you a cup of coffee? Buy you dinner tonight?" He flashed a gorgeous smile, a smile so pretty that not even she could deny it. But it was also a cocky smile, and she knew immediately which agent he was. Vance had described him perfectly.

"You're Agent DiNozzo." It wasn't a question. He nodded slowly, clearly taken aback. Jessie smirked.

"Do we know each other?" He asked cautiously. She knew he was going through his mental rolodex of women, trying to figure out which jilted lover had finally come back to bite him in the ass. Jessie smiled and he suddenly looked very uncomfortable, as if he thought she actually might bite him.

"Director Vance told me about you," she clarified. He immediately relaxed and she extended her hand. "Detective…err…I mean Agent Jessie Harper."

"Special Agent Anthony DiNozzo, but please, call me Tony." Tony smiled again and Jessie couldn't help but smile back.

"I'm supposed to report to Special Agent Gibbs. Is he in?" She surveyed her immediate surroundings and saw that all four desks in the small space were empty; counting the one Tony had been sitting at when she arrived.

"No, he's out wrapping up a case in interrogation. You can wait if you'd like." Tony offered and Jessie nodded briskly, ready to put her game face on. Tony tried to lead her back to his desk, but she knew exactly where she needed to be sitting when Gibbs arrived, just to show that his reputation did not intimidate her.

"Which desk is his?" Tony pointed to the desk with the most clutter. Figures, Jessie thought as she walked behind it and sat down in the chair.

"Uh, I wouldn't do that if I---" Jessie cut him off.

"Vance told me all about Gibbs. I'm not concerned." Jessie was proud of herself for keeping her voice even and steady. Tony shrugged and said something about hoping that she carried Tylenol with her. She had no clue what he meant by that.

"So, you were a detective huh? I was with Baltimore Homicide before I wound up here. What'd you work?" Tony asked as he sauntered back to his desk, relaxing back into his chair.

"Gang Division."

"Nice!" Tony exclaimed. "I hear that's a pretty dangerous beat."

Jessie smirked and said, "Now you understand why Gibbs doesn't scare me." Tony appraised her for a second, looking her over skeptically, as if weighing the horrors she'd probably witnessed while on the job next to Special Agent Gibbs.

"How old are you anyway? You look young for an agent."

"I'm twenty-six, almost twenty-seven."

"What?!" Tony's eyes went wide. "How the hell did you make detective so young?" Jessie shrugged and said, "Went in straight out of college and did well I reckon." And then she flinched when the word "reckon" came out of her mouth. She'd hoped not to give away her origin just yet.

"Sweet accent! Where in the South are you from?" Jessie stiffened.

"I'd prefer to keep that to myself. You'll find out soon enough."

"A woman of mystery, eh? I like that." Tony wiggled his eyebrows. Jessie rolled her eyes.

"No, not mysterious. I just don't care for nosy people," she said flatly. Tony cinched his eyebrows and said "Not very friendly, are you?"

"Actually I'm very friendly!" Jessie defended herself. "I just don't like people sticking their nose where it doesn't belong."

"Then you aren't going to like Tony very much." Jessie turned and saw three people walking into the room, two men and a woman. The comment had come from the woman, a tall simply dressed woman with an accent. She winced when she saw where Jessie was sitting.

"Who the hell is she and why is she in my chair?" Jessie glanced up and saw a pair of icy blue eyes boring into her.

"You Gibbs?" Jessie did her best to keep her tone casual. Do not show fear, she thought. Do not show fear.

"Is there a reason you're still in my chair?" She tried concentrating on his appearance, not his words. His hair was silver, cut short on the sides but just a bit longer on top. He had a strong but very handsome face, medium build, and she almost thanked God that he was wearing blue jeans. It made her feel more at ease in her clothes.

Jessie stood up, squaring her shoulders and bringing herself to her full height, and then extended her hand. "Agent Jessie Harper, sir. I'm the new member of your team." Gibbs looked down at her hand, anger making his eyes look cold and hard, like he had diamonds dancing in them. He gave her the once over, distaste for her apparel plain on his face, and then his eyes found her face. He slammed an empty cup down on his desk.

"Like hell you are."


"What do you mean you hired her?" Gibbs ground out the words to Director Vance.

"I mean exactly what I said, Agent Gibbs. I hired her and assigned her to your team. I want her to lean from the best."

"My ass!" Gibbs' voice rose with every word. "You just want someone to report back to you. This is my team, Director, and I do the hiring and firing." Jessie had to give Vance his props. He hadn't even flinched. Jessie herself was a bit miffed at being accused of being a nark.

"It may be your team, but as Director of NCIS, I have the right to assign someone to your team, or have you forgotten that already, Gibbs?" Jessie didn't think it was possible, but Gibbs' anger level seemed to rise and his glare was even harder then before. "Plus, if I was going to hire someone to keep an eye on you, I wouldn't have hired Harper." Vance chuckled. Jessie smirked.

"Then why did you hire her, Director?" The question came out as a frustrated spat. Gibbs was becoming visibly impatient.

"Do you remember the Marine killed by that gang that migrated up here from Mexico about a year and a half ago?"

"Yeah, everyone's heard about that." Tony chimed in. Gibbs' whole team had raced after him when he'd stomped up the stairs to the Director's office upon learning who Jessie was. Jessie didn't know if it was out of curiosity or to keep their boss from losing his temper. By the way Gibbs' fists were balled up at his sides, she'd put her money on the latter.

"I don't remember hearing anything about that, actually," said the man who had introduced himself quickly before they'd all stormed into the Director's office as Tim McGee.

"That's because you were probably too busy playing Elf Lord, Probie." Sniped Tony. The woman, who had said her name was Officer Ziva David, rolled her eyes and Gibbs smacked Tony on the back of the head. Jessie's eyes narrowed, understanding Tony's previous mention of Tylenol. Let Gibbs try that with me and see what happens, she thought harshly, imagining herself tossing him over a table.

"A gang running drugs up the coast from Mexico all the way to New York made some big bucks selling drugs to Marines in Quantico. They used young Marines looking to make some fast money to transport the drugs on and off the base. A Private was killed in a dispute, tying him to the gang, so NCIS got involved and we brought in a detective recommended from Dallas P.D's Gang Division. The gang's activity had become a problem in Texas and this Detective had been on the case for several months and knew all the ins and outs," Vance continued.

"I remember this case!" Ziva exclaimed. "The detective and an agent, Higgins I think it was, they went into a warehouse where the drugs were believed to be stored without waiting for backup and they were ambushed."

Gibbs nodded. "They weren't trapped in the warehouse for long before help arrived, but it was long enough for one of the gang members to pop off a shot at Higgins. The detective dove in front of him and took the bullet…saved his life. Backup arrived seconds afterwards and they both made it out alive."

"I heard he was a damn good detective." Ziva added.

"She is," Vance corrected her. "That's why I hired her."

Everyone in the room turned to stare at Jessie, Tony's mouth dropping open as if he'd seen a ghost. Even Gibbs looked shocked. Well, as shocked as Gibbs was possible of looking. Jessie moved the collar away from her left shoulder, exposing the skin and showing off her perfectly round scar that was a permanent reminder of the bullet she caught.

"I'll be damned," was all that Gibbs could say.


When they walked back down to what Jessie thought of as the squad room, they found a fifth desk wedged between Gibbs' and the plasma screen.

"That was fast," Jessie commented. She pulled her weapon out of the holster and popped the clip out, shoving it in to the top drawer of her new desk. She took off her worn and faded blue jean jacket and sank down in the cushy chair that had been provided for her, suddenly feeling very tired.

In two weeks time Jessie had sold her childhood home (the farm she grew up on and helped run), moved across the country and into a rent house in a large city, and started a new job. How could anyone get any rest with all that going on?

"Agent Harper!" Jessie jerked herself to attention at the sound of Gibbs' barking voice. She did her best not to flinch as she looked up, seeing him glaring down at her. "How much sleep did you get last night, Harper?"

"None, and my name is Jessie, not Harper." Gibbs tried to stare her down but Jessie refused to look away. Maybe Vance was right, maybe Jessie had never dealt with anyone like Gibbs before, but she had one advantage: she was absolutely positive that Gibbs had never met anyone quite liker her before either.

"Come on, I'm taking you down to forensics and autopsy." Gibbs didn't wait for her to respond, he just headed for the elevator. Jessie scooped up her jacket and dashed after him, barely reaching the elevator before it closed.

"Why are you taking me to forensics and autopsy?" She asked. Gibbs sighed.

"To meet the rest of the team."

Jessie heard the music well before they reached the automatic doors that would lead them into what Gibbs had called "Abby's World." Abby Sciuto was a tall (everyone seemed tall compared to Jessie's five feet four inches) woman that Jessie definitely thought was pretty in her own right, even with the eccentric apparel.

"Welcome to the team, Agent Harper!" Abby seemed to bounce as she spoke. She had to be the most cheerful Goth Jessie had ever come cross.

"Please, call me Jessie." Jessie replied, making Abby smile. Her teeth were a brilliant shade of white in contrast to the deep crimson red lipstick she was wearing.

"How's Gibbs treating you?" She asked, looking at Gibbs out of the corner of her eyes.

"Like I'm a spy under Vance's command." Gibbs grunted and made a few fluid motions with his hands. Jessie was floored to see him and Abby speaking in American Sign Language. Jessie glared at him when she interpreted that he had said, "I'll treat her like a spy until she proves me wrong." Abby signed, "Be nice! She seems okay. And she's pretty!"

"I knew I liked you for some reason. Thank you for calling me pretty."Jessie said aloud, making Abby jump with excitement.

"You can sign!" Abby exclaimed, and Jessie nodded, signing "I took a few classes in college and I liked it, so I kept using it regularly." Jessie glanced at Gibbs, who was scowling blackly in her direction.

"Good job! That's a first!" Abby rushed over and hugged Jessie swiftly, towering over her in her huge clunky black boots.

"What's a first?" Jessie asked, hugging Abby back a bit awkwardly. Jessie wasn't much of a hugger. Abby pulled back, looked over at Gibbs, and flashed him a feral grin.

"You made Gibbs blush!"


"Why hello Jethro! What brings you down here?" An older man with a British accent wearing moon shaped spectacles and blue scrubs greeted Gibbs, and then turned to smile at Jessie. "And who is this lovely young lady?"

Jessie smiled and extended her hand. "Agent Jessie Harper, nice to meet you, sir."

"The pleasure is all mine, my dear. I am Doctor Donald Mallard, but you may call me Ducky." Jessie shook his hand. "And this is my assistant, Mr. Jimmy Palmer." Ducky motioned to the young man in round framed glasses and a shy smile. He nodded and Jessie smiled and nodded back. "Jethro, is this young woman your date for the evening?" This time it was Jessie's turn to blush. Ducky winked at her, causing her blush to creep up her neck to her hairline. Gibbs rolled his eyes.

"No Ducky," he said. "Harper's my new agent."

"My name is Jessie," she muttered. Gibbs ignored her.

"I didn't know you hired someone." Ducky narrowed his eyes in Gibbs' direction.

"That's because I didn't." Gibbs replied flatly.

"Vance hired me, sir."

Ducky raised an eyebrow. "Without consulting Jethro here?"

"Yes, sir."

"Are you ex-military, young lady?"

"No sir. I'm just polite."

Ducky chuckled. "Well, you had better not call Jethro that. He doesn't like it very much. Your accent has a certain, I suppose you would call it a Southern draw. Are you from the South, perhaps?"

Gibbs answered before Jessie could open her mouth. "She's the detective from Dallas' Gang Division that NCIS worked with a while back."

"The one who took the bullet for that Higgins or Huggins man, whatever the poor mans name is?" Gibbs nodded. "Why, young lady, I never would have guessed." Ducky said, sounding alarmed. Jessie rubbed her shoulder out of habit, feeling the wound as if it were fresh.

"Alright Duck, why don't you cut out early? I just brought Harper down to get acclimated with the place." Gibbs ended the conversation by heading for the doors.

"My name is---"

"I know what your damned name is!" The doors slid shut and Gibbs climbed onto to the elevator, not bothering to wait for Jessie as he headed back upstairs, leaving Jessie in autopsy with a nervous looking Palmer and sympathetic Ducky.

"I know he may seem a bit…taxing, and be assured that the man will push you to your limits, but don't judge him too harshly. He's a complicated man." Ducky patted Jessie's shoulder and walked her to the elevator.

"I promise you Doctor Mallard---"

"Please, call me Ducky."

Jessie grinned. "I'm sorry, Ducky it is. But I promise you, Gibbs doesn't frighten or intimidate me in the least. He really doesn't know who he's dealing with, but he will soon enough."

"That's the spirit! Just keep your head up and you shall weather hurricane Jethro!"

The grin fell from Jessie's face and she stopped the elevator doors from closing. "I've seen…things, things that would probably give Osama Bin Laden nightmares. I've slept in places that hobos avoid. And I've come very close, more then once, to dying. Gibbs is the least of my worries. I have more frightening things other than Gibbs haunting me." Ducky looked into her eyes, trying to read her face. A few seconds later, he nodded.

"Have a nice evening, dear. I will see you soon." Jessie smiled, wished him a good night, and let the elevators close and take her back up to the floor where her teams desks were located.

"I feel sorry for her," Palmer mumbled, pulling on his coat, Ducky following close behind him, also putting on his coat and also his hat. He turned off the lights and said "It isn't our new agent that I'm worried about. No, I think Jethro may have finally met his match, Mr. Palmer. I think we have found another enigma."

"You gathered that much from one conversation?"

"Oh yes, you can sense things about people if you know what you're looking for. Yes, I could see it in the way she stood, very tensely, her shoulders squared. Always ready to be on the offensive. She's seen quite a bit of action during her short career, which I would expect from someone who was in her field. And she's determined not to let Jethro intimidate her. I could smell determination on her like stench from a warthog." Ducky and Palmer walked to the door that they exited out into the parking lot. "I think Jethro is in for a pleasant surprise with this young lady. And to think!" Ducky through his head back in laughter. "She isn't even a red head!"